University of Wisconsin President Ray Cross on Tuesday asked the Legislature's budget-writing committee to approve a new public authority for the UW System, a "dedicated and stable funding stream" and to reduce the governor's proposed $300 million budget cut over the next two years.

Shortly after he finished his testimony, a handful of protesters burst into the room shouting, "No cuts, no deals." Followed by four Capitol police officers, the protesters marched past the table where Cross was sitting to give testimony before the Joint Committee on Finance.

If Park Bank is liable for not spotting Sujata "Sue" Sachdeva's $34 million embezzlement from Koss Corp. and has to reimburse the company, Koss Chief Executive Michael Koss should also be ordered to personally pay the public company he runs, the bank argues in a new lawsuit.

Grant Thornton, Koss Corp.'s former auditor, should also have to pay a portion of any award that may be ordered, Park Bank argued in the latest twist in a long-running court fight stemming from Sachdeva's massive embezzlement.

"Park Bank denies any and all liability to Koss in this case," the bank said in its action. "Nevertheless, should Park Bank be found liable to Koss (Corp.) and required to pay damages to Koss, in this case, those damages will have been the result of a common liability of Park Bank, Michael Koss and Grant Thornton, thereby entitling Park Bank to (a) contribution from Michael Koss and Grant Thornton."(3)

Blog Archive

Posts for April, 2014

If you have a little time today at 3 p.m. check out, our favorite Milwaukee band and part-time Gap models, Fresh Cut Collective along with rapper extraordinaire Klassik on Wisconsin Public Television. They will be on the 30 Minute Music hour in Madison. You can watch a live stream here at 3 p.m. | April 1, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

Yo-Dot continues to pump out new material and if you are a fan if his recent project A Winter's Ration, you are in luck. The video for the intro track "I'm On It" follows Yo-Dot on a cold Milwaukee winter night as he tells his stories of what the streets bring. Sometimes the simple videos are best, which is what is showcased here, but make sure you watch for the extra story line in this one.

The art of freestyling has been lost in translation throughout the years. It's gone from a purely organic "off the top of the dome" skill to simply memorizing some lines jotted down in the notes section of an iPhone. While freestyle battles are still wildly popular underground they do not see much shine in popular hip hop culture. When I think of actual freestyle artists I recall emcees like Jin, Supernatural and Cannibus (until he read from a notebook during a battle). When I think of Milwaukee hip hop artists who can actually freetyle a few come to mind but one stands out. Taiyamo Denku is that guy.

Photos by: Jank

Not only has Denku mastered the art of freestyling but he has also converted that into emceeing. Many artists who primarily freestyle seem to have a hard time when it comes to having to write and lay down tracks. Denku has successfully bridged that gap and has shown and proved through countless emcee battles and albums released. I recently got a chance to sit down with Denku and pick his brain. Check it out below. | April 2, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

Individually, all of these MCs know how to rock the mic, but as a group they've figured out a way to blend their styles cohesively over the varied production from Big Steve (of Goonie Tunes), T. Streetz, Trellmatic, Mammyth, Tom Davis and Fred Stanley. I'm just glad the single "Savages," which was released in late 2012, will get more spins because 1) it's fire, and 2) it shows the full energy and talent of the crew. | April 8, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

This Saturday, The 40 Oz Night returns to The Hotel Foster (2028 E. North Ave) as Kid Millions, DJ Mighty Thor and DJ Bizzon bring nothing but old school west coast hip hop all night. Kid Millions began this night as a celebration of the style of hip hop that told what it was like to be a gangsta and exploded in popularity in the late 80's/early 90's. Currently there is a resurgence in west coast hip hop with names like Kendrick Lamar, YG & DJ Mustard, but this party is strictly for the old school fans.

If names like NWA, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Ice T, Cypress Hill, DJ Quik, Zapp & Roger and Too Short spark some nostalgic feelings, then this party is for you. It even gets deeper as artists like Above the Law, Paris, Mista Grimm, Rodney O & Joe Cooley, Conscience Daughters, Low Profile, Domino and Spice 1, who aren't as fondly remembered by most, get their time to shine. It's not only the hardcore sounds that are appreciated because you'll hear the Pharcyde, Digital Underground and Alkaholiks too because anything from the west coast is fair play. And of course, just as important as the music, 40's will be sold as well. | April 10, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

Coming in at just over 40 minutes, Kid Millions' new mixtape "Motor City Rappin" is all about underground old school hip hop from Detroit that you may have missed. Millions, lead record diggin' guy at Dope Folks Records, has been working on regional hip hop mixes from his travels over the last 12 years and he has some real gems in this one. Luckily for us, some of these tracks are actually available on his label, so if you are feeling them, buy them. It's a very simple process. Enjoy!

While everyone was debating if Outkast blew it or if the crowd was lame, Nas had himself a great performance on the second day at Coachella. As a celebration of the 20th anniversary of Illmatic, Nas performed the album in it's entirety. Jay Z joined him on stage to perform two of his classics, "Dead Presidents" and "Where I'm From" and Diddy came through to guest on "Hate Me Now".

There is never anything wrong with hearing Illmatic live and Nas made sure the energy was high during the entire 43-minute set. If this is anything like what we can expect at Summerfest this year, Milwaukee will be in for a treat. Yes, a treat. Enjoy.

I'm going to go ahead and say this is going to be number one on my top ten video list this year. "Sweatpants" , from because the internet, is yet another banger from the "short"shorts wearing actor turned rapper. Childish Gambino never fails at making slightly creepy yet comedic videos. I've read numerous articles on the deeper meaning of the "Sweatpants" video but sometimes a video is just good. Take a look below.

First off let me just say that I am really enjoying this second wind of hip hop in Milwaukee. After being a bit stagnant for quite some time a new era of younglings are making a dramatic appearance. Younger artists like Webster X, Klassik and EL have hit the ground running and are getting the city lots of much needed attention. The same will be said soon about the duo Eye$eeYou .

Over the weekend Eye$eeYou (Lorde Freddee and Free-Dom) premiered their new video "Spooky" at the, MC Mikal ran, monthly hip hop gathering spot The Mix located inside of G Daddys BBC's Bar and Grill. The video itself is refreshing but the live performance during the video premiere is what made it pop. The emcees stood next to the screen and performed the song live as the audience watched the dark and twisted video. I haven't seen it done before in that manner but what do I know? Either way it was dope. My only request is that these dudes keep their shirts on. Check out "Spooky" below! Of course, it's NSFW but you should know that. C'mon, It's hip hop yo.

As Jank mentioned in his earlier post, Milwaukee is experiencing a new generation of talented, creative and most importantly, hungry MCs that are too young to even get into the venues they want to perform in. This is great for us as fans because we can enjoy and support their music on the internets now, which they have the best grasp on, and we know that in a couple years we can be confident that the scene will be in good hands. They all have what I call the "Joey Bada$$ effect". That is, if you are an adult, you feel some type of way from listening and taking advice from someone at least a decade younger than you. Dang, I’m getting old.

Over the last month, so much good and interesting music has came from these fresh faces. Most of which was self-produced or produced by someone just as young. We wanted to introduce you to them now so that when they are all over your favorite blogs and websites in a few months, you won't be as surprised as I was when I first listened and was taken back at how dope all of this was. Of course there are plenty more artists, but this is all I could fit in one post. So, hit play on all these and support these MCs that deserve it.

Tonight I'll be at the Rave with thousands of screaming suburban teenagers to see ScHoolboy Q. While I did see him at Soundset last year this concert will be a little more up close and personal. Also I'l be able to "turn up" in the comfort of my own city. The show originally sold out but the Rave recently announced that the show was being moved to the ballroom so there are now more tickets available. This is going to be a huge show so be ready to sweat....unless you are old like me and hang out in the back with all the other old hip hop cats.

So, everyone wants to know*, what do i want to hear at the show tonight? Let's take a look below.

In continuing with their mid-April holidaze tradition, DJs Whyb & Mighty Thor release the third installment of their mixtape series Snack Attack, sponsored by Moda3. Ranging from old underground classics like "Acid Raindrops" from People Under The Stairs to new hits like "Stoner" from Young Thug, they've crafted the perfect soundtrack to your late night munchies run. Not only is the song selection on point, but the style and creativity in their turntablism throughout makes it well worth the listen.

And if you've ever been lucky enough to spin with Whyb, there is always a bag of your favorite candy waiting for you to partake in. So many peanut butter cups and sour patch kids have fallen to these hands thanks to him. Enjoy! | April 22, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

I pride myself in being involved in the hip hop industry for over 25 years. I've worked for a label and traveled the country observing how the business works. I've produced tracks and deejayed throughout this time also. Most importantly I've watched hip hop grow from nothing to something in a very short span of time. Being able to witness the birth and growth of hip hop has made me an aficionado of sorts. During these times I really felt that my favorite hip hop time period was the 90's or the "Golden Age" as some put it. This article is designed to inform those who don't know about some rarities and classics that you may not know about from that time. These are tracks that I boomed out of my 85 Oldmobile via tape deck. My kids don't know what a tape deck is.

Top Quality never even made it to "one-hit-wonder'' status. 1993's Magnum Opus barely made a dent on the Billboard even though it was backed by EPMD's Parish Smith. The title track "Magnum Opus" ,however, stuck with me for years. A familiar drumloop and infectious horns made this one of my favorites of the 90's.

While very new to the Milwaukee hip hop scene, 17-year-old MC Ishdarr has been making big waves already. He opened for Schoolboy Q at the Rave last Thursday and on Friday had the release party for his new EP The Better Life. He popped on my radar with his soulful first single "They Lost Me" and this six song EP shows the talent this young man already has.

Ranging from topics such as family, relationships and his dreams, Ishdarr truly takes you on a ride showing his life and what he wants to become. It doesn't hurt that all the beats are fire and that his flow is so sharp. I could say a lot more, but really just hit play. For real. My only crituque is that he didn't add his other single "Ready" to the project which is just as fire. Check out his interview from last week's Those Hip Hop Guys Radio show where he goes into more detail about himself and this project. And he said his parents grew up listening to ATCQ and De La Soul. His parents yall. We are all old. Interview starts at the 60 minute mark. | April 23, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

In celebration of their ten-year anniversary, urban arts youth organization TRUE Skool will host public screenings of ten hip hop related documentary films on the last Wednesday of each month between February and November.

"Ten Films for 10 Years" continues this Wednesday, April 30th, at 6pm (doors at 5:30pm) at their new location on the lower level of the Grand Avenue Mall (161 West Wisconsin Ave, Suite 1000 LL). All the film screenings are free, all-ages and open to the public. Each film will be followed by an art activity and/or a talkback with a special guest. Refreshments will be available for a small donation. Even if you've seen a couple of these films before, watch them again because they are all solid films. | April 28, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

There is no other way to describe what BIG K.R.I.T. just did on his new single "Mt. Olympus" other than he snapped. Somebody must have pissed him off because this entire song is anger and fury about the industry, what people think he is and who is the best in the game. This is the first single from his next album Cadillactica, which is set for release later this year. Make sure you are sitting down when the second verse hits. Trust me.

Winner of Vocalo Radio’s 2013 “Quest For The Best DJ” battle, DJ Bizzon’s creative turntablism skills, original production and hands-on style has made him one of the Midwest’s most sought-after DJs. He has opened for or performed with artists including Kendrick Lamar, Baauer, Mac Miller, Questlove, Naughty By Nature, People Under The Stairs and DJ Abilities. Read more

Meet Jank

Damon “Jank” Joy doesn’t believe in bios. He doesn’t believe in much in this world but his own infallible opinion, an opinion he hopes will lead you toward the light — the light being hip hop. Jank is a retired deejay and co-host of the popular WMSE radio show, “Those Hip-Hop Guys,” along with the lanky fellow in the photo above his. Read more

Those Hip-Hop Guys Radio

Milwaukee's only underground and old-school hip-hop radio show, Tuesday nights from 9 to midnight. Click here